Pacifism

Eliminating war by inducing all nations to settle their disputes peacefully; personally refusing to participate in warfare.

From St. Augustine's writings onward, Christianity has concerned itself with the question of whether or not a war was just, based on the conditions of legitimate authority, just cause and right intentions. Many groups have advocated pacifism ar moral grounds, as do the Waldensians, Quakers and Mennonites. In modern times, however, pacifism is not related to Christianity. Rather, it most often stems from the position that, warfare being so destructive in our time, cannot reasonably be used any longer as a means of resolving disputes, or even of defending violated rights.